Singer Adam Lambert thinks Ricky
Martin's musical career would have been over if he had come out gay
at the height of his popularity.

The 30-year-old Lambert publicly
acknowledged he is gay on the cover of Rolling Stone almost
immediately after American Idol jump-started his career in
2009.

A year later, Martin, 40, stopped
denying evergreen rumors about his sexuality with a terse message on
his official website: “I am proud to say that I am a fortunate
homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.”

Lambert, whose second studio album,
Trespassing, still doesn't have a release date, told gay blog
Queerty
that coming out gay for Martin wasn't an option if he wanted to keep
working.

“Listen, in the time he was really
popular, it would've been really hard to be out. It probably
would've shot his career in the foot,” Lambert said. “The music
industry in general is a tough market for a gay man. It's really
conservative. It's hard.”

He added that gay fans are sure to
connect with the track Outlaws of Love.